R*****s 0-1 Celtic Official Match Thread. All Chat in here please.

Todays daily record, going by this it doesn't look like robson will feature !!

Stephen McManus set for Old Firm return - but no late reprieve for Aiden McGeady

Dec 26 2008 By Hugh Keevins
STEPHEN McMANUS will lead Celtic into battle against Rangers.
But there will be no last-minute surprise parachute landing on the pitch by Aiden McGeady.
Skipper McManus has convinced boss Gordon Strachan he can trust his fitness for the Old Firm derby at Ibrox.
Strachan said: "Stephen was left out against Falkirk last week because there are times when you have to tell him he's not playing and that's the end of the story. But he resumed full training on Tuesday and that gives him enough time to be ready for Rangers.
"He's a good captain for us and the players trust him. I'd be very surprised if he wasn't playing against Rangers."
Nothing has happened between Strachan and his problem boy McGeady to win the player the manager's renewed faith.
McGeady will need to watch on TV or get a ticket to sit with the fans because he won't be part of Celtic's official party.
A two-week ban imposed on the player remains, no matter how much fans fans will hold Strachan responsible if McGeady's absence coincides with defeat.
Strachan repeated his favourite phrase when asked if anything had happened to make McGeady an Old Firm competitor.
"I refer you to my earlier statement," he said, recalling the club's notice of the two-week ban and deduction of two weeks' pay.
Now he has to decide whether to gamble with others.
Strachan said: "The reserve game that Marc Crosas had against Airdrie on Tuesday's helped him but we have to be careful with him because his body wasn't used to regular football at Barcelona.
"We need all the fit players we can get because it's going to be a long slog home in the championship.
"That's why Barry Robson has no chance of being risked against Rangers because he's still not right.
"And Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink won't be anywhere near the game either because he's been out for the past three months and this is too soon for him."

 

I just read that myself there. No Robson or VoH for this one

 

In that case I really hope WGS throws caution to the wind and plays Koki LM.

Hartley and Brown in the middle and the usual CB pairing of Gary and Mick.

 

He's pretty much got to now unless he does something daft like play Brown on the wing.

 

Thing is though, that's not really "something daft" when it comes to Strach, we've seen him do it before, and I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he does something similar this time around.

 

Think he will play Mizuno, with Robson not being fit and he seemes a bit cautious about Crosas starting.

 

Yeah, I would start mizuno and go with him. The lad deserves a chance after his display against falkirk ! Also, he will be somewhat unknown to the huns and I really think he could run broadfoot ragged

 

2-1. 7 points clear.

 

Going to sit on the fence ang go for a 1-1 draw as WGS record there is vey poor

 

I think that Robson will play actually, he's the one player you want in an OF fixture in our squad, I'm sure his fitness is grossly exajurated by WGS - he wouldn't blurb out team news without good reason.

I hope he starts with Mizuno & Naka in a 5 man midfield, we can win this one, but we can get skelped too.

WGS has to give a good showing of himself, he's been found out tactically, but still fancies himself as a tactitian, so put up or shut up WGS.

Rangers should be more up for it, they're at home & 4 points behind, that's where tactics come in - play a 4-5-1 against their (probably) 4-4-2 & hit them on the counter.

Crosas should also be put in, he can play & has it all, but I suppose Hartley will be in 1st, due to fitness.

-------------Boruc

----Caldwell--------Mick
Hinkle-------------------Wilson

----Brown--Hartley--Robson
Naka-------------------Mizuno

-----------Samaras

2-2

 

dont think we can afford to play koki and naka makes us too light weight.

 

1-0 celtic

boruc

hinkle caldwell mcmanus/o'dea if manus is out naylor

naka hartley brown robson/koki

samarii n skippy

 

I think we should start with your line up mate, but i would have mcdonald upfront instead of sammy. the big man has been off the pace for weeks, 5 accross midfield is the system i would play as we do not need to win a draw would be a decent result imo but i would love 2 win the match, and we played the 5 in midfield against villareal and looked a lot stronger than the 4-4-2 we aslo created a lot of chances!!!!! I just fear he will play caldwell in midfield and if this happens i will fear for us, he should never ever be used there and i am surprized wgs used him there against falkirk because he will get exposed badly if up against a decent team, his best position is at the back!!!!!

 

if he plays 5 in the middle he would have to play crosas which wouldnt be a bad thing, tho i would worry about our ability to win the battle which allows us to dominate if our midfeild had koki and naka and possibly crosas. we know naka cant tackle , koki looks in the same mould and crosas didnt exactly fly into any bonecrunchers before he got injured

 

.................boruc...................
hinkel caldwell mcmanus misun
nakamura brown crosas mcgeady
.......samaras hutchinson............

best 11 if possible

 

not goin to happen

 

I was pinning my hopes on Robson being fit.He's the type of player you want in your side when you're heading over to those * across the city.I feel a lot lesss confident now.Hinkel's injured as well isn't he?Would probably go with this line up:

-------------------------------------Boruc---------------------------------------

---Wilson------------------Loovens--------------McManus---------------Naylor---


---Nakamura---------------Caldwell--------------Hartley----------------Brown---


---------------------------McDonald------------Samaras-------------------------

There's obviously major flaws in this line up with 2 of the 4 midfielders playing out of position and lack of pace/creativity but I feel that leaving there with a point would be a great result considering our injuries and recent record at Ibrox.It's going to be a battle from the first minute to the last and that midfield wouldn't shirk the midfield battle and it also means we'd have another big fella [Loovens] in the side.Of course playing Mizuno would be a much more straightforward swap and would mean that we wouldn't have to play Caldwell or Brown out of position.

Strachan has to make a very tough call here.

 

yeah ano not in the old firm in the coming weeks ben hutchinson has the potential 2 be a far better player than scott mcdonald dont u think